The control of microbial proliferation in food and beverage compositions is a continuing concern for manufacturers. Particularly, beverage compositions, when exposed to food spoilage microorganisms, provide an excellent environment for rapid microbial growth.
Manufacturing and packaging operations for minimizing yeast and bacteria proliferation in food and beverage compositions have been developed. Conventional operations, especially in the tea-containing beverage area, use pasteurization or aseptic packaging techniques to minimize beverage spoilage. Such conventional operations, however, do not eliminate the need for low pH products in order to ensure product safety.
Citric acid is the typical acid additive employed in tea-containing beverages to reduce pH. It has been discovered, however, that citric acid has a negative impact on the flavor of tea-containing beverages, especially unsweetened tea containing beverages, which can appear very sour when formulated with citric acid.
Current trends indicate that diets low in carbohydrates are advantageous to consumers concerned with weight management. Thus, there is a need for a tea-containing beverage, especially an unsweetened tea-containing beverage, that has exceptional flavor characteristics. This invention, therefore, is directed to a beverage having improved flavor, even after thermal processing. The beverage of this invention is microbiologically stable notwithstanding the fact that the same is substantially free of citric acid.